International Student Ministry at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

We are so thankful for our Southern Illinois District and congregational support of Campus Ministry and International student Ministry (ISM) at Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville (SIUE). International student ministry is a ministry of friendship and hospitality that gives us opportunities to invite students to learn about our Saviors love for them through conversations, assistance, and invitations to Bible study, worship and activities. God is sending close to 1,000 students to SIUE from 60 different countries. The majority of students are from countries such as India, Nepal, and Nigeria. We were thankful to have an ISM assistant, Brenna Hopper, a Trinity member helping us this year.

A number of congregations in the Southern Illinois District are helping us with providing household goods donations for the students. These donations have helped the students tremendously as they arrive here with only two suitcases and no family to help provide essentials for their apartments. ISM also provides students with opportunities to socialize. We host a meal once a month. The students help prepare food from their home country and we get to learn about their countries. We also invite them to visit the worship service prior to the meal. We had some 47 students visit worship last year and God graciously brought one of the students to baptism. Sharon is now assisting in inviting others to church services. What a blessing God has provided through those simple household items. If you would like to help with this work, contact Bessie.

Sumi, a student from Nepal, has been very helpful in letting students know about our activities and inviting them to attend. She asked to be one of our family’s host students. We have learned many things from her about her country. We invite you to consider serve as a friendship family for a student. Please contact Bessie at 515-230-9937 or Bessie.Fick@yahoo.com.

Trinity members Larry and Karen Barringer have been helping with transporting students to worship. Recently, they had the opportunity to visit with a family at lunch after the service. God provided the time for them to visit and answer the students many questions about worship and our Savior, Jesus.

Through delivering a mattress, over a meal, sitting with a student in worship, offering a ride to church, God is at work bringing those who do not know him to learn about his great love for them. John 3:16-17
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him”. Thank you for helping through your prayers and gifts to tell the student among us about his love.

If you have any students that are attending or planning to attend SIUE, please contact Pastor Jess Biermann, Campus Ministry Pastor at Trinity, 314-255-8066. We would love to have them be part of the LCMS U activities.